GEBHARDT Motorsport is returning to the legendary French race track as part of the support programme for the 24-hour race.
The highlight of the Michelin Le Mans Cup season is just around the corner. As part of the 24-hour race on the legendary French circuit, the championship will contest two one-hour ‘Road to Le Mans’ races. A total of 58 cars, including 43 LMP3 prototypes, will line up at the start of the two races. GEBHARDT Motorsport will field a Duqueine D09 for Oscar Tunjo and Valentino Catalano.
The races in the support programme of the world's most famous endurance race will also mark the return of GEBHARDT Motorsport to Le Mans. In 1990, the team took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Porsche 962 in the legendary red and yellow MOMO design and drivers Gianpiero Moretti, Nick Adams and Günter Gebhardt. However, after around eleven hours, gearbox damage forced them to retire. The team had previously competed at La Sarthe with the Gebhardt JC843 and JC853, which it had developed in-house. The British customer team ADA Engineering won the race in the Group C2 class with a JC843 in 1986.
In the Michelin Le Mans Cup season so far, GEBHARDT Motorsport has shown good speed but has not yet been able to reach the chequered flag after a collision at the season opener in Barcelona and technical problems at Le Castellet. The team from Sinsheim in Baden hopes to change that at Le Mans. In addition, the Circuit de la Sarthe, which runs largely on public roads, should suit the characteristics of the brand-new Duqueine D09.
‘We are very pleased to be returning to Le Mans this year. GEBHARDT Motorsport and the track have been linked for many years. With our entry into the Michelin Le Mans Cup, we want to add a new chapter to this history. We are also working hard to achieve our first points finish of the season – the speed has been good so far this year,’ said Fritz Gebhardt.
The Michelin Le Mans Cup will use a special race format at Le Mans. On Thursday at 6:25 p.m. and on Saturday at 10:05 a.m., the series for LMP3 and GT3 cars will each hold a one-hour race on the 13.626-kilometre circuit. A mandatory pit stop for driver change is required in both races. Both races can be followed on the official livestream on YouTube. Qualifying will take place on Thursday afternoon, followed by two one-hour practice sessions on Wednesday to allow the teams and drivers to get to grips with the special.
